Auxiliary strip to facilitate the winding of an elongated strip upon a takeup lever

ABSTRACT

An auxiliary strip of flexible material for disposing consecutive windings of an elongated strip onto a takeup core. The auxiliary strip is secured to the elongated strip to extend a distance therewith and is of such configuration to form a simulated crown as the auxiliary strip is being wound about the takeup core, which in turn positions and prevents the axial shifting of the elongated strip with respect to the takeup core.

United States Patent Inventor Charles T. Feldschau Plttslord, N .Y.

App]. No. 832,965

Filed June 13, 1969 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 Assignee Eastman Kodak Company Rochester, NY.

AUXILIARY STRIP TO FACILITATE TI-IE WINDING OF AN ELONGATED STRIP UPON A TAKEUP LEVER 4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 242/67.1,- 242/55, 242/179, 352/235 Int. Cl B65 75/00 Field of Search 242/67. 1,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,263,023 11/1941 Windolph 206/59 X FOREIGN PATENTS 696,002 8/1953 Great Britain 206/59 E Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Auorneys- Robert W. Hampton and R. Lewis Gable ABSTRACT: An auxiliary strip of flexible material for disposing consecutive windings of an elongated strip onto a takeup core. The auxiliary strip is secured to the elongated strip to extend a distance therewith and is of such configuration to form a simulated crown as the auxiliary strip is being wound about the takeup core, which in turn positions and prevents the axial shifting of the elongated strip with respect to the takeup core.

mmmm. 3.627.218

SHEET 1 OF 2 CHARLES T. FELDSCHAU F'GA, INVENTOR. BY /2Q/ ATTORNEYS PATENTEDUECMM 3,627,218 SHEET 2 UF 2 FIG.5

W x FIG..9 J M.

CHARLES T. FELDSCHAU INVENTOR.

BY 69% %M ATTORNEYS AUXILIARY STRIP TO FACILITATE TI'IE WINDING OF AN ELONGATED STRIP UPON A TAKEUP LEVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to apparatus for handling strips of elongated material and more particularly to such apparatus for winding elongated strips onto a takeup core without the axial shifting along the axis of the takeup core.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is desirable to wind an elongated strip onto a takeup core or reel so that successive windings or convolutions of the elongated material substantially overlap the previous windings. However, problems may be encountered in situations where the strip of elongated material is wound at a relatively high speed onto the takeup core or where the width and flexibility of the elongated strip are increased. Asthe flexibility and the width of the strip increases, the tendency of the elongated strip to telescope or to fail to overlap with successive windings of the strip increases. As a result, an elongated strip may be subject to being damaged as it is rolled either onto or from the takeup core.

The prior art has suggested various means to facilitate the accurate winding of an elongated strip onto a takeup core. Typically, a takeup core may be provided with a pair of flanges for guiding the elongated strip onto the core. A takeup core with a pair of flanges is particularly adapted for use with strips of asmaller width; however, as the width of the flexible strip becomes larger, there is a greater tendency for the strip to slide over a portion of the reel flange. Further, it has been suggested that the takeup core may be provided with a crown or peripheral ridge disposed about the center of the takeup core 'to facilitatethe winding of the elongated strip. As the elongated strip is wound upon such a takeup core, compressive forces are developed by the elongated strip on the takeup core and in particular by the edge portions of the elongated strip. Thus, the elongated strip is compressed about the raised or crown portion of the takeup core, which in effect serves to center or to position the elongated strip upon the takeup core. As a result, reel flanges may no longer be required to guide the strip onto the takeup core. Typically, the crown or raised portion is provided by either machining or molding the takeup core, which processing adds to the manufacturing expense of such takeup cores. Further, most takeup cores or reels do not have such raised or crowned portions and it would be difficult to remachine or reshape existing takeup cores or reels to facilitate strip winding.

It is therefore an object of this invention to achieve the effect of the raised or crown portion upon a takeup core without the necessity of modifying the core itself.

It is a further object of this invention to facilitate the winding of an elongated strip on takeup cores by simulating a crown or raised portion on the takeup core.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the teachings of this invention by providing an elongated strip of flexible material to be wound upon a takeup reel or core with an auxiliary strip disposed at one end of the elongated strip. The auxiliary strip is of such a configuration and is so disposed with respect to the elongated strip on the takeup core, a raised or crown portion is presented to the successive windings of the elongated strip to thereby facilitate the winding and retention of the elongated strip about the takeup core. In one illustrative embodiment, the auxiliary strip is secured to one end of the elongated strip so that the auxiliary strip is approximately centered with respect to the center line of the elongated strip. Further, the auxiliary strip may illustratively have a configuration such that portions remote from the end of the auxiliary strip are of a decreasing dimension.

The invention, and its objects and advantages, will become more apparent in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments presented below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the detailed description of the preferred embodiments presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an orthogonal view of an elongated strip being directed from a takeup to a supply reel;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an elongated strip to which there has been attached auxiliary strips in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross section view of the takeup reel shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the takeup core taken along line IV-IV as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the clip used to secure the elongated strip to the takeup core; and

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are plan views of other, illustrative embodiments of the auxiliary strip in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawings, there is shown an elongated, primary strip 10 which is directed or unwound from a supply reel 14 to a takeup reel 12. As seen in FIG. I, the strip 10 is directed about a pair of rotatably mounted auxiliary rollers 16. In accordance with the teachings of this invention, it is desired to simulate a pair of crowns I8 and 20 upon the takeup and supply reels l2 and 14. In one particular illustrative embodiment, the flexible strip 10 may take the form of an inking ribbon. However, this invention has application to many other flexible strips including but not limited to paper, photographic film, cloth, or other flexible strips where accurate positioning upon a takeup core may present a problem.

In FIG. 2, a pair of auxiliary strips 21 and 22 in accordance with the teachings of this invention are disposed at each end of the elongated strip 10 by a pair of clips 25 and 24. With regard to FIG. 5, the flexible strip I0 has an end portion 11 which is inserted within and is secured to the clip 24. The clips 24 and 25 may illustratively be made of a suitable malleable material such as metal. More specifically,the clip 24 includes a pair of side members 27 and 28 to form therebetween a slot 30 into which is inserted an end portion 23 of the auxiliary strip 22. An end portion 11 of the strip I0 and the end portion 23, are retained by the clip 24 by crimping a lip 26 thereof upward, as seen in FIG. 5, and against the primary strip 10 and the auxiliary strip 22. Though the strips 10 and 22. have been described as being connected together as by the clip 24, it may be realized other methods may be used to attach the strips 10 and 22 together. For example, the strips 10 and 22 could be connected at one end as by stitching or by a suitable adhesive. Further, it would not be necessary to provide two separate strips 10 and 22; but rather, the strips I0 and 22 could be formed from a single strip by folding the end of the primary strip to provide the auxiliary strip and connecting the clip 24 to the folded portion. However, it is desirable to connect the strips at their ends to allow the strips 10 and 22 to slide or move with respect to each other as they are wound onto the takeup cores. It may be understood that successive winding or convolutions of the strips 10 and 22 have slightly greater radii, and that the strips 10 and 22 should be able to slide with respect to each other to facilitate the windings of the strips 10 and 22 onto takeup reels.

With regard to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown the manner in which the flexible, primary strip 10 is connected to the takeup reel I2. Illustratively, the takeup reel 12 includes a cylindrically shaped core 32 having a pair of flanges 34 disposed at either end of the core 32. A slot 36 is disposed axially along the cylindrical core 32 for receiving the clip 24, as shown in FIG. 3, to thereby retain the ends of the flexible strip 10 and the auxiliary strip 22. With regard to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown how the auxiliary strip 22 simulates the formation of a crown or raised portion 18 upon the core 32 to thereby facilitate the accurate winding of the strip 10. It is noted in FIG. 2, that the auxiliary strip 22 extends along the length of the strip a distance indicated by the letter A and has a shape with tapered edges which are spaced apart a distance whichdecreases as a function of the distance from the end of the strip 10.

The primary and auxiliary strips 10 and 22 may be considered to have imaginary center lines disposed along their lengths. As shown in FIG. 2, the auxiliary strip 10 may be illustratively located so that its center line substantially coincides with the center line of the strip 10. Further, the apex or the point towardwhich the edges of the auxiliary strip 22 converge, may also lie on the center line of the strip 10 to thereby form the simulated crown in the center of the takeup core 12.

As the primary strip 10 and the auxiliary strip 22 wind around about the core 32, successive windings 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d are fonned between successive layers of the strip 10 to form a configuration similar to that of a pyramid or crown. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, a raised or curved contour is given to the flexible strip 10 and, in effect, a raised or crown portion 18 is simulated by the windings 22a, 22b, 22c and 22d. As a result, the elongated, primary strip 10 is compressed about the simulated crown l8 and tends to wind itself in a fixed position determined in turn by the position of the crown 18. The flexible strip 10, as it winds itself about the simulated crown l8, naturally aligns its center line with the most elevated portion of the crown 18. As shown in FIG. 4, the center line of the flexible strip 10 has centered itself upon the highest portion of the simulated crown as formed by the outermost winding 22d. Therefore, it is desirable to place the point of convergence of the auxiliary strip 22 at the center of the core 32 so that the most elevated portion of the simulated crown l8 and therefore the primary strip are disposed at the center of the core 32.

Though in FIG. 2, the auxiliary strip 22 is shown as having a substantially triangular configuration, it may be realized that, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9, the auxiliary strip may assume different configurations within the scope of this invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the auxiliary strip 122 may have a configuration of decreasing dimension with the sides being tapered in discrete steps. In FIG. 7, an auxiliary strip 222 has tapered sides coming to a rounded point disposed approximately along the center line of the strip 10. In FIG. 8, an elongated rectangular strip 322 is disposed along the center line of the strip 10 to provide a crown at the center of the core. In FIG. 9, an auxiliary strip 422 is shown wherein the side edges are shaped exponentially.

It is noted that the elevation of the simulated crown is dependent upon the number ofconvolutions and thickness of the auxiliary strip. In addition, as the width of the elongated strip increases, the higher or more elevated the simulated crown should be. In view of this criteria, a greater crown height is achieved by making the length A of the auxiliary strip greater. In one illustrative embodiment where the auxiliary strip was made of urethane of I/ inch thickness and the primary strip had a width of 3 and 7/32 inches, the auxiliary strip was made approximately 8 inches long to thereby provide approximately five windings or convolutions about the takeup core.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. In combination with an elongate primary strip which is adapted to be wound onto a takeup core, wherein said primary strip includes a leading end and a longitudinally extending center line, an elongate auxiliary strip including a leading end and a pair of opposite edges which longitudinally extend therefrom, means securing said primary strip and said auxiliary strip in a manner such that said leading ends thereof respectively extend in a common direction and said auxiliary strip is disposed in substantially centered relation along said center line of said primary strip, said edges of said auxiliary strip being spaced apart by a varying distance which decreases in magnitude as said edges extend from said leading end of said auxiliary strip, whereby a simulated strip crown will be formed along said center line of said primary strip upon winding of said primary strip and said auxiliary strip onto a takeup core.

2. The combination as recited in claim I, wherein said securing means includes means connecting said primary strip and said auxiliary strip in a manner enabling relative movement therebetween upon winding of said primary strip and said auxiliary strip onto a takeup core.

3. In combination with an elongate primary strip which is adapted to be wound onto a takeup core, wherein said primary strip has a predetermined width dimension and includes a longitudinally extending center-line, an elongate auxiliary strip having an average width dimension which is less that said predetermined width dimension of said primary strip, means securing said primary strip and said auxiliary strip in a manner enabling relative movement therebetween upon winding of said primary strip and said auxiliary strip onto a takeup core and such that said auxiliary strip is disposed in substantially centered relation along said center line of said primary strip.

4. The combination as recited in claim 3, wherein said auxiliary strip includes a leading end and a pair of edges which longitudinally extend therefrom in tapering relation toward said center line of said primary strip. 

1. In combination with an elongate primary strip which is adapted to be wound onto a takeup core, wherein said primary strip includes a leading end and a longitudinally extending center line, an elongate auxiliary strip including a leading end and a pair of opposite edges which longitudinally extend therefrom, means securing said primary strip and said auxiliary strip in a manner such that said leading ends thereof respectively extend in a common direction and said auxiliary strip is disposed in substantially centered relation along said center line of said primary strip, said edges of said auxiliary strip being spaced apart by a varying distance which decreases in magnitude as said edges extend from said leading end of said auxiliary strip, whereby a simulated strip crown will be formed along said center line of said primary strip upon winding of said primary strip and said auxiliary strip onto a takeup core.
 2. The combination as recited in claim 1, wherein said securing means includes means connecting said primary strip and said auxiliary strip in a manner enabling relative movement therebetween upon winding of said primary strip and said auxiliary strip onto a takeup core.
 3. In combination with an elongate primary strip which is adapted to be wound onto a takeup core, wherein said primary strip has a predetermined width dimension and includes a longitudinally extending center line, an elongate auxiliary strip having an average width dimension which is less than said predetermined width dimension of said primary strip, means securing said primary strip and said auxiliary strip in a manner enabling relative movement therebetween upon winding of said primary strip and said auxiliary strip onto a takeup core and such that said auxiliary strip is disposed in substantially centered relation along said center line of said primary strip.
 4. The combination as recited in claim 3, wherein said auxiliary strip includes a leading end and a pair of edges which longitudinally extend therefrom in tapering relation toward said center line of said primary strip. 